Device for dispensing material from collapsible paste tubes



R. D. RUCH DEVICE FOR DISPENSING MATERIAL FROM COLLAPSIBLE PASTE TUBES March 20, 1951 Filed April 26, 1949 3 Sheets-Sheet 1 LF LLJL -Hi 2/ 54 30 INVENTOR.

' RHYMOND D.R/

BY W A TTOP/Vf Y Marh 20, 1951 3 Sheets-Sheet 2 Filed April 26, 1949 8 8 7 0 2 6 M 0 M 5 7 5 6 5 5 5 7 T in? 5:222??z?i v m w =25;iziaggz E E5: 7A ALUfi EJ .3. J%\ w Hm w N w \i w W W r m a x 4 T 2 2 a w 2 2 INVENTOR. RHYMOND D.RUCH

BY W ATTOR/Vf) 3 Sheets-Sheet 3 March 20, 1951 R. D. RUCH DEVICE FOR DISPENSINGMATERIAL FROM COLLAPSIBLE PASTE TUBES FiledApril 26,1949

. o 56 892 4 Y, 9 4 8 f 3 MM m 1 0 9/ w fl @M F. m F6! .5::iiig; & :E E2,5555% m M u .6 i 6 Y M W M Patented Mar. 20, 1951 DEVICE FOR DISPENSING MATERIAL FROM COLLAPSIBLE PASTE TUBES Raymond D. Ruch, Burbank, Calif.

Application April 26, 1949, Serial No. 89,716

12 Claims. 1

This invention relates generally to the class of dispensing and is directed particularly to improvements in devices for dispensing material from collapsible paste tubes, more especially for the dispensing of tooth paste.

A principal object of the present invention is to provide a dispenser for ejecting the contents of a collapsible tube wherein means is employed for progressively applying pressure against opposite sides of the tube from the closed end, toward the discharge or nozzle end, Without the usual procedure of either rolling the tube or squeezing it together by progressing rollers or sliding elements, use being made of a plurality of pairs of opposing and coacting compression fingers for squeezing and collapsing the tube.

Another object of the invention is to provide in a dispenser of the character stated, means for supporting a collapsible paste tube in a suitable housing between two rows of relatively shiftable press fingers, with means movable in the housing longitudinally of the tube and the rows of fingers for progressively moving together coacting fingers of the two rows to compress the tube body therebetween.

Another object of the invention is to provide a dispenser for ejecting the contents of a collapsible paste tube wherein a plurality of pairs of coacting compressing or squeezing fingers are employed between which the paste tube is mounted, said fingers carrying cam follower pins, with a camming member supported for movement longitudinally of the rows of fingers and having cooperating camming surfaces which progressively engage the finger pins to force the fingers together to squeeze the interposed tube.

Another object of the invention is to provide a device of the above described character wherein said camming means is provided with spaced parallel portions between which a pair of finger pins is held as the next succeeding pair of fingers is functioning to compress the tube whereby to preaccompanying drawings forming a part of the specification, with the understanding, however, that the invention is not to be limited to the exact .details of construction shown and described since obvious modifications will occur to a person skilled in the art.

In the drawings: Figure 1 is a view in top plan of a dispensing device for paste tubes, constructed in accordance broken away.

vent the rearward movement of the paste in the Figure 4 is a longitudinal section taken substantially on the line 44 of Figure 2.

Figure 5 is a transverse section taken substantially on the line 55 of Figure 2.

Figure 6 is a transverse section taken substantially on the line 65 of Figure 2.

Figure 7 is a sectional View taken substantially on the line ll of Figure 2.

Figure 8 is a sectional view taken substantially on the line 8-8 of Figure 5 with the fingers separated;

Figure 9 is a sectional view taken substantially on the line 9-9 of Figure 5;

Figure 10 is an enlarged fragmentary detail view of the latch as herein embodied;

Figure 11 is an enlarged fragmentary detail view at one end portion of a cam block and associated arm; and

I Figure 12 is an elevational view of a tail piece as herein comprised and unapplied.

Referring now more particularly'to the drawings the numeral I!) generally designates a relatively long housing or casing in which are mounted the paste tube and the operating parts by which the tube is squeezed or compressed to effect the ejection of the contents downwardly I through the hereinafter described discharge nozzle.

The housing 10 comprises the back wall I I, side walls [2 and the forwardly converging front wall panels l3 which merge with the central front panel M. The latter panel has therein a door opening 15 which extends through the bottom end of the panel and throughout the major portion of the length thereof as shown most clearly in Figure 2.

The top of the housing is closed by the top wall or top plate it which, While it may be secured in position in any suitable manner, is here 3 shown as being held down by screws 11 which are threaded into suitable lugs i8 formed on the inner surfaces of the adjacent walls as shown in Figure 1.

At the lower .end of the housing is the bottom wall l9 which is elevated in the forward part thereof to join the lower ends of the front wall panels I3 and I4, which panels are of Slightly less length than the side walls and the back wall as shown in Figure 3. Formed rearwardly in the elevated forward portion of the bottom wall, which portion is designated 19, i the recess 20 which is of the same width as the door opening with which it merges. At the two sides of this recess there are formed integral with the elevated front portion [9 of the bottom wall, the depending ears 2! which are provided with the aligned screw threaded openings 22 for the purpose hereinafter described.

Formed to position in the bottom wall opening or recess 20 is a relatively thick block of material which is generally designated 23 and which constitutes a foot upon which the paste tube is supported in the manner hereinafter described. This body 23 substantially fills the opening 26 as shown in Figure '7 and at its front side, it is formed integral with th lower end of a door 2 8 which closes the door opening l5. This door 2 5 carries a suitable latch 25 at its upper end for securing the door in closed position.

The body 23 ha formed therein from the top, a tapped bore 26 of a suitable diameter to receive the threaded nozzle 21 of a paste tube 28. The depth of the tapped bore 23 is slightly greater than the length of the paste tube nozzle 2'! as shown and from its bottom it continues down through the body 23 to open through the lower end thereof, providing the paste discharge passage 29.

The body 23 is maintained in position between the ears 2| for swinging movement, by the pivot screws 30 which are threaded into the openings 22 and have smooth inner end portions 3| which form pivot trunnions which engage in suitable openings in the adjacent sides of the body 23. Thus it will be seen that the door and the body can be oscillated on these pivots 3! when the latch 25 is released, to facilitate the insertion of the paste tube. 7

As shown in Figure 4 the body 23 which forms, as previously stated, a base or foot portion for the door, has a recess 32 formed in the back part thereof and in this recess is positioned the tail piece 33 for a shut-off cap 34 which fits against the curved underside of the body 23. Extending transversely across the cut out space 22 and through the tail piece 33 of the cap is a pivot pin 35 which has its ends secured in the body 23 at opposite sides of the cut out 32.

The upper end of the tail piece 33 has a flat top surface 36 while the rear edge of the tail piece slightly below the top surface has formed therein a notch 31.

As shown in Figure 4 a second bore, designated 38 is formed in the body 23 from the top thereof and just behind the bore 26. In thi bore is slidably positioned a latch finger 39 which rests upon the fiat top portion 36 of the latch tail piece 33 and which is pressed downwardly by a spring 40 which is retained in position by a screw 4i threaded in the upper part of the bore 38. This spring through the medium of the latch finger 39 holds the cap 34 against free movement and when the cap 3 1 is swung rearwardly to uncover the discharge end of the passage 29, the finger engages in the notch 31 and thus holds the cap open 4 while paste is being ejected from the passage 29.

At the bottom of the housing each of the side walls [2 carries two inwardly projecting guide lugs or flanges 42 which are spaced apart in a front to rear direction in the housing as shown in Figure '7. In the upper part of the housing directly above the guide lugs or flanges 42, each side wall carries a corresponding upper pair of guide flanges or lugs 43.

At each side of the housing there is disposed vertically a flat bar 44 which is engaged at its lower end between a pair of guide lugs 42 and at its upper end between a pair of guide lugs 43. Each of these bars carries an inwardly extending foot flange 45 at its bottom end and an inwardly projecting ear 46, the flat sides of which are in a vertical plane extending transversely of the housing and accordingly perpendicular to the foot flange 45 which is horizontally disposed and rests upon the bottom wall or floor it! to which it is secured by a screw 4'5 as shown in Figures 2 and 3.

At the rear sides of the ears 46 each of the bars has a longitudinal groove in its inner face as indicated at 38 and these grooves, which are in opposed relation, receive the longitudinal edges of a vertically disposed finger carrying or retainer plate 39. This plate is fixed to the vertical side barsbetween which it is positioned, by screws 5!] passing through the ears l6 and into the plate at the bottom of the latter as shown in Figures 2, 3 and 4.

In addition to the inwardly projecting ears ie"; at the lower ends of the bars 44, such bars carry corresponding ears 43 at their upper ends, to which the plate 43 is secured by screws 50' as shown in Figures 2 and 3.

The plate 49 is provided with a plurality of horizontally spaced pairs of guide slots 5! each of which opens at its outer end through a ver tical longitudinal edge of the plate 49 while the inner ends of the guide slots are in relatively closely spaced relation at opposite sides of the longitudinal center of the plate .9 as is clearly shown in Figure 2. Thus at each side of the longitudinal center of the plate 49 is a vertical series of horizontal slots, each slot upon one side being horizontally spaced from and in the same plane with a slot on the other side to form a pair. As will be readily apparent the open outer ends of these slots 5! are closed by the bar 44 against which the longitudinal edges of the plate 49 bear.

In each of the slots 5| is slidably mounted a finger block 52. Each of these blocks is of slightly greater length and width and the length extends lengthwise of the slot 5! and the top and bottom edges of the block have therein guide slots 53 which receive the upper and lower edges of the plate slots. Formed integral with the front side of each finger block 52, is the relatively long finger s2 which extends forwardly to close proximity with the rear side of the front wall 14. These fingers 34 have opposing flat faces which, as shown in Figure 5, come into relatively close oppose d relation when the blocks of each horizontally spaced pair of fingers are moved together. Consequently when the fingers are moved together in the manner shown in Figure 5 the interposed paste tube body 28 will be subjected to squeezing pressure.

Each of the finger blocks 52 has secured therein and extending transversely therethrough, a pin 55 which upon the rear or back end carries a roller 56 which functions as a cam follower.

Connected with the forward end of each pin 55 is one 'end of a contractile spring. 51 which extends-laterally and has its other end secured to;

the adjacent bar 44 as indicated at 51.

Disposed vertically in the rear part of the housin'g behind the central part of the plate 49 is a screwshaft 58. The lower end of the shaft has which meshes with the gear 62 as shown in Figure 4;.

Upon the upper end of the shaft 64 is mounted, outside the housing, the relatively large knob 66 by means of which the gear 65 may be manually turned" to rotate the screw shaft 58.

The shaft 58 passes through and is threadably connected with a runner 61 which forms a part of a finger actuator which is moved vertically in the housing by the screw shaft 58 and which is generally designated 58.

The runner 6? has the two oppositely directed arms 69 which are horizontally disposed and are directed toward the side walls of the housing as shown in Figure 5.

1 Slidably mounted upon each of the arms 69 is a cam block it which isprovided with a bore H iri' which the arm 69 engages. The outer end of this bore is suitably enlarged as shown in Figure 5 to'receive a spring 12 and secured in the outer end of each arm 69 is a screw having a large head 13' which extends beyond the side of the arm 69 to overlie the adjacent end of the spring 12 and thus yieldingly maintain the cam block in position on the arm.

Each of the cam blocks is formed upon the forward side to provide the inwardly converging camming faces M. and the central camming face l5 which is disposed between and separates the convergent inner ends of the faces M and which parallels the line of movement of the cam block. These central vertical faces 15 of the two cam blocks are-in spaced opposed relation and upon opposite sides of the central vertical plane passing from front to rear through the screw shaft 58 and between the working faces of the fingers 5 1.

The space between the cam faces 15 is such as to permit the cam follower rollers 56 of a pair of fingers to pass therebetween when the finger blocks are fully moved together as illustrated in Figure 5 or, in other words, moved to full compression position. The finger blocks are shifted to this position by the downward movement of the cams which causes the lower sloping faces 14 of the two cam blocks to ride down against the rollers and gradually force them together to the maximum extent whereupon they enter between the opposing vertical cam faces 15 as shown in dotted outline in Figure 2. I

In the operation of the present dispenser device, the door 24 is released and swung outwardly and downwardly so as to permit the placing of the tube 28 in position by screwing the nozzle 21 into the socket- 26 in the foot piece or body 23 at thelowe'r e'nd' of the door. If the runner or follower body 61 is at thelower end of the screw shaft 58 the shaft is suitably rotated to returnthe follower or runner to the top end of the shaft V 6 and when it is in this position all of the pairs of fingers will be separated as shown in Figure 6 so that when the door 24 is closed the tube will be located vertically between the pairs of fingers. It will be obvious, of course, that the flattened or compressed end of the tube must be disposed substantially parallel with the fingers 54 for the most efiicient operation of the device.

After the tube has been placed in position in the manner stated the ejection of the contents through the discharge passage 29 is effected by rotating the knob 66 to turn the shaft 58 in the proper direction to feed the runner or follower downwardly together with the cam blocks carried thereby. This operation will bring the lower inclined camming faces 14 against the top pair of rollers 56 and gradually force the rollers, together with the blocks 52 and the fingers 54 thereof, together, so as to apply squeezing pressure to the tube. The applied pressure is in a straight line transversely of the tube and without sliding movement against the wall of the tube and consequently all danger of rupturing the tube or tearing it because of friction is avoided. As the compressor unit 58 is moved downwardly the top pair of fingers will finally reach the limit of their inward movement whereupon the rollers 56 thereof will run onto the vertical opposed cam faces 15 and during this phase of the operation of the device the next lower pair of rollers will be engaged with the inclined under faces M to gradually increase the squeezing action of the next lower pair of fingers. By reason of the fact that the rollers 56 of the preceding fingers are between the vertical camming faces l5 during the squeezing action of the next lower pair of fingers it will be seen that the movement of the contents oft he tube can progress only downwardly. When the next or second pair of fingers passes into the fully compressed position where their rollers 56 are engaging the vertical faces 15, the third lower pair of rollers will be moving up the inclined lower faces 14 and the top pair of rollers will be moving onto the upwardly and outwardly inclined top faces 14 so as to permit the springs 51 to pull the top pair of fingers outwardly to separated relation. Thus it will be seen that as the compressor unit moves downwardly the fingers will be successively pressed together against the wall of the tube to fully compress it while the preceding pair of fingers holds the tube compressed and this action continues until the bottom end of the tube is reached and the contents completely ejected.

While there has been shown a manual means for turning the shaft 58 it will be obvious that any suitable mechanical means may be coupled with the shaft such as a small electric motor, if desired.

It will also be obvious that the device may be mounted in any suitable manner there being here illustrated apertured mounting ears 8d formed integral with the longitudinal edges of the back wall of the housing.

I claim:

1. A dispenser for paste tubes comprising a plurality of horizontally spaced pairs of sliding, opposed pressing. fingers arranged in a longitudinal series, means. for supporting a paste tube between the pairs of fingers, a runner supported for movement along a path extending lengthwise of -the series of fingers, means for moving' the runner along said path, and coactingmeans between the-runner andthe fingers for progres 7. sively moving the pairs of fingers together to apply squeezing pressure .to the interposed tube.

2. A dispenser for paste tubes comprising a plurality of horizontally spaced pairs of pressing fingers arranged in a longitudinal series, means for supporting a paste tube between the pairs of fingers, a runner supported for movement along a path extending lengthwise of the series of fingers, means for moving the runner along said path, coacting means between the runner and the fingers for progressively moving the pairs of fingers together to apply squeezing pressure to the interposed tube, and a body disposed at the end of the series of pairs of fingers having a threaded socket in which may be threadably engaged the discharge nozzle of a tube and a passage leading from the socket for the discharge of the contents-of the tube, said body being shiftable relative to the pairs of fingers to move the tube into and out of position between the pairs of fingers.

3. A dispenser for paste tubes comprising a plurality of horizontally spaced pairs of pressing fingers arranged in a longitudinal series, means for supporting the paste tube between the pairs of fingers, a runner supported for movement along a path extending lengthwise of the series of fingers, means for moving the runner along said path, and coacting means between the runner and the fingers for progressively moving the pairs of fingers together to apply squeezing pressure to the interposed tube, the said coacting means comprising a .pair of camming elements carried the runner and cam follower members carried by the pairs of fingers for engagement by the carnming elements as the runner progressesalong said path.

4. A dispenser for paste tubes comprising a plurality of horizontally spaced pairs of pressing fingers arranged in a longitudinal series, means for holding .a paste tube by the discharge nozzle thereof and maintaining the tube in position between the pairs of fingers, a runner supported for movement along a path extending lengthwiseof the series of fingers, means for moving the runner along said path, means carried by the runner providing a pair of upwardly and inwardly converging caniming faces, and a cam follower carried by the finger of each pair and arranged in a position to be engaged by the converging camming faces as the runner moves in.,one direction along said path to successively effect the forcible movement of the pairs of fingers together.

5. A dispenser of the character stated in claim 4, with spring means connecte-d'with'said' fingers and placed under tension upon movement of the pairs of fingers together to effect the retraction of the fingers upon disengagement of the followers from the cam faces.

6. A dispenser of the character stated in claim a, wherein said camming faces merge'at the convergent ends thereof with spaced parallel faces between which the cam followers of each pair of fingers moves and is held for a predetermined period in the advancing movement oftherunner.

'7. A dispenser for paste tubes comprising a relatively long-housing body designed-to be vertically disposed in the use of the dispenser, a platemember disposed vertically inxthe housing and transversely thereof ,saidzplate member having upon each side ofits longitudinal-centers series oflhorizontal slots,-each slot of one series being horizontally alignedwith aslot of the adjacent series to forma spacedpair of slots, a body slidably mounted in :each slot for inward and outward movement, a finger carried by each body;

the bodies in each pair of slots forming a cpoperating pair, each pair of bodies and the fin er carried thereby being adapted to be moved into relatively closely spaced relation at the center of the plate, meansfor supporting a paste tube in the housing in vertical position between the fingers carried by the pairs of sliding bodies, means by which the contents of the tube maybe discharged downwardly from the tube when the tube is compressed, said bodies when moved together in pairs effecting the compression of the tube by the cooperating fingers carried thereby, a runner member disposed rearwardly of the plate for movement longitudinally thereof, means for moving the runner member, and cooperating means between the runner and the pairs of bodies for effecting the progressive movement together of the pairs of bodies as the runner is moved in one direction longitudinally of the plate.

'8. A dispenser of the character stated in claim 7, wherein the said cooperating means comprises coacting camming bodies carried by the runner and cam follower elements carried by the sliding bodies, the elements of each pairof sliding bodies being engaged by the coacting camming elements in progressive movement of the runner to force the pairs of bodies and the fingers carried thereby .toward 'the longitudinal center of the plate.

9. A dispenser of the character stated in claim 7, wherein 'the said cooperating means comprises coacting camming bodies carried by the runner and cam follower elements carried by the sliding bodies, the elements of each pair of sliding bodies being engaged bythe coacting camming elements in progressive movement of the runner to force the pairs of bodies and the fingers carried thereby toward the longitudinal center of the plate, said camming bodies being carried upon the runner for yielding outward separatory movement.

10. A dispenser for paste tubes, comprising a :relatively long housing which .is vertically disposed in the use of the dispenser, a plate member disposed vertically within the housing and transversely thereof between opposite side walls, sai.d plate member having upon each side of itslongitudinal center alongitudinally spaced series of horizontal slots, the slots of one series being in spaced aligned relation with the slots of the other series to form horizontally spaced pairsof slots, a finger block slidably mounted in each slotfor inward and outward movement, a finger carried by each block, .the blocks and fingers of each pair of slots forming acooperatingpair of tube squeezing elements, a threaded screw shaft disposed vertically in the housing behind the longitudinal center of the plate, a runner threaded'on said shaft for longitudinal movement in the housing, said runner having a paircf oppositely directed arms, a cam block supported :upon each of said arms, said cam blocks having upwardly and inwardly vconvergent cam faces each :merging with a vertical cam-face, the vertical cam faces being in'spaced relation, a cam follower ;r.oller carried by each finger block andpositioned'for engagement with an inclined cam face of a cam block, the inclined and vertical ,cam ,facesbeing arranged to simultaneously engage a- -pair. of rollers to move the latter inwardly and maintain them in the inward moved position for a predetermined period during the advance ,movement of the runner,means yieldingly holding thecam blocks against outward movement .on the, arms, and

spring means normally urging separatory movement of the pairs of finger blocks.

11. A dispenser of the character stated in claim 10, with a door member in the forward part of the housing, a body forming a lower end portion of the door member, the body being pivotally supported to facilitate the swinging movement of the door member, said body being disposed in relatively close proximity to the front side of the slotted plate and having a downwardly extending paste discharge passage therethrough, means for coupling the discharge nozzle of a paste tube with the door body for discharge into said passage and to maintain the tube in parallel relation with the inner side of the door and between the pairs of fingers when the door is in closed position.

12. A dispenser of the character stated in claim 10, with a door member in the forward part of the housing, a body forming a lower end portion of the door member, the body being pivotally supported to facilitate the swinging 20 Number movement of the door member, said body being disposed in relatively close proximity to the front side of the slotted plate and having a downwardly extending paste discharge passage therethrough, means for coupling the discharge nozzle of the paste tube with the door body for discharge into said passage and to maintain the tube in parallel relation with the inner side of the door and between the pairs of fingers when the door is in closed position, and means carried by the door carried body forming a shut-off cap for the outlet end of said passage.

RAYMOND D. RUCH.

REFERENCES CITED The following references are of record in the file of this patent:

UNITED STATES PATENTS Name Date 1,643,381 Kahn Sept. 27, 1927 1,979,105 Harnish Oct. 30, 1934 

